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P. J. BURGHAM. V I

MACHINE FOR SOFTENING 0R DRESSING LEATHER O-R SKINS.

No. 66,125. Patented June 25,. I867,

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F. J. B URCHAM, OF R-ACIN'E, WISCONSlN.

Letters Patent No. 66,125, dated June 25, 1867.

1H3 fitlgetule Ttittl'th in in iljrtt gicttcts fitted ant. mating partif tlgc smuc.

TO ALL ween-1T MAY eoncnmv;

Be it known that I, F. J. BURCHAM, of Racine, in the county of Racine,and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and improved Machine forSoftening or Dressing Leather or Skins; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a'full, clear, and exact description thereof, which willenable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in wl1ieh--- v Figure 1 is a top or plan view of myimproved mnehine.

Figuc 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same taken through the linea: w, fig. 1.

Figure 3 represents a modification of the stretching-frame.

Figures 4 and 5 represent different forms of clamps for securing theleather. to the frame.

Figure 6 represents a spring hook for securing the leather to the frame.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts. I

My invention has for its object to furnish a convenient and efl'ectivemachine for softening or dressing leather, particularly buck-skins,calf-skins, kid calf-skins, line, but equally applicable to other kindsof skins, whether having the hair on or off; and it consists in thecombination of the quadruple crank-levers and pitmen with eaehother andwith the stretching frame to which the leather is attached. and in theconstruction of the fromes, clam ps and spring hook for holding theleather;

A is the frame of the machine. B 13' are bean 1s passing diagonallyacross the machine from post to "post and at n. suflicicnt distanceapart to receive the quadruple crank between them. C is the crank-shaft,the lower end of which is pivoted in a socket formed in the middle ofthe beam B. The upper end of the crank-shaft C revolves in hearings inthe middle part of the beam 13, above which it projects for theattachment of the crank'P, by whichthc machine is operated. Upon thecrank shaft 0 are formed four cranks, c c c c, at right angles with eachother, as shown in fig. 1. To the cranks c and 0 which extend out uponopposite sides of the axis of the shaft C, are pivoted the ends of thepitmen l) and 'D", and to the cranks a and c" are pivoted the ends ofthe pitmen I) and D", as shown in the drawings. The other ends of thepitmen D are pivoted to the upper ends the levers E, the middle parts ofwhich are attached to the shafts F, the ends of which are pivoted to thecorner posts of the frame A. If desired or convenient, the middle partsof the levers E may be pivoted to any suitable and suflicient support.To the lower ends of the levers E are pivoted the outer ends of theconnecting-rods G, the inner ends of which are branched and arepivotedto the bars of the stretching-frame H. The bars of the stretching-frameH are connected to each other at" their ends, as shown in fig. 1, sothat they may all operate in the same plane. The leather or skins may besecured to the frame H by lacing, the laces being passed through holesin thebni's of the frame and in the edges of the skin, or one or moreclamps may be attached to each of the barsof the frame H, between thejaws ofwhich the edges of the skins are secured. In the clamp shown infigs. 1 and 2 the inneredge of the bar It is turned up and serrated toform one jaw of the clnmp I. The other jaw is.formed of the plate 2'',the front edge of which is turned down and serrated, and the middle partof the rear edge of which is so'forme d as to enter a slot inthe bar 7tto form the hinge of the clamp. The two jaws are held together, clampingthe skin by means of the screw and thumb-nut J. The clamp K, shown infig-4, is similar in general construction to'a blacksmiths tongs, exceptthat its forward ends are bent over and serrated to form the jaws of theclamp, and there is a hook or eye formed upon the rear end of one of itsarms 'or handles for convenience'in attaching it to the frame. The clamp1L consists of a pair of springjaws, .the rear ends of which are rivetedto each other at the proper distance apart to receive the bar-of theframe H, and the forward ends of which are held together to clamp theskin by the screw Z passing through a'hole in'one jaw and screwing intoa hole in the other jaw, as shown in fig. 5, or the skins may beattached to the frame by a double spring hook, M, having a hook or eyeat one end, by which it is pivoted to the bars of the frame, and a hookat the other for the attachment of the leather, the point of thelast-mentioned hook being covered by a spring, m, to prevent the skinfrom working off whileihe machine is being operated. In the case oflight skins, I prefer to use a frame, N, formed of four longer'and fourshorter bars pivoted to each other alternately, as shown in fig. 3, thelonger bars being connected to the ends of the connecting-rods G. Inusing the machine, the leather or skin to be softend or dressed isattached to'the stretching-frame by any of; the means herein shown anddescribed and the crank P operated. The effect is that the skin is drawn0r stretched alternately in different directions, working and softeningit to any desired extent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the quadruple, crank C pitmen D, levers E, andconnecting-rods G with each other and with the stretching-frame to whichthe skin is attached, substantially as herein shown and described andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The stretching-frame H, constructed and operated substantially asherein shown and described and For the purpose setforth.

3. The stretching-frame N, constructed and operated substantially asherein shown and described and'for the purpose set forth. I p

4. The clamp I, constructed and arranged substantially as herein shownand described and for the purpose set forth.

5. The clamp K, constrncted substantially as herein shown and described,when used for the purpose of attaching skins to a stretching-frame.

6. The clamp L, constructed substantially as herein shown and described,when used for the purpose of attaching skins to a stretching-frame.

, 7. The double spring hook M, constructed substantially as herein shownand described and for the purpose set forth. p i

. F. J. BURCHAU. Witnesses:

JOHN M. Oseoon,

JOHN LONGFELLOW.

